I enjoy the tranquillity of this period. It also allows time to do work-day preliminaries, including checking my diary, and reading clinical journals online to keep up to date on developments in the autism field.

My family keeps eight hens so I'll also check and feed them.

Breakfast is usually a bowl of cereal, some coffee and a flick through the newspaper. I'm out of the house by 8.30am, and it's a 20-minute drive to Milton Park hospital, a rehabilitation service for people with autistic spectrum conditions, where I have been medical director since 2004.

On arrival, the first thing I do is to check the written report of what happened overnight. I know all the patients on the six units, so it's vital I keep tabs on everything. There will usually be something that I need to bring to the attention of unit managers, perhaps something related to mental health law.

Much of my mornings are spent meeting colleagues who may need advice on issues such as the treatment for a particular patient. I may also have a morning one-to-one clinical consultation with a patient.

Lunch is usually at the hospital canteen or a quick sandwich.

On Monday afternoons I attend meetings with other clinicians and hospital managers to talk about new referrals. The hospital's autism patients include those who have offended (usually because of their nonunderstanding of social rules and an inability to empathise), and those with a mental health condition and/or learning disability.

I spend all day Tuesdays and Thursdays in multidisciplinary team meetings with patients. These are fairly informal as we find this is the best way for patients with autism to feel comfortable contributing.

Twice a week I attend mental health review tribunals at the hospital. Some of our patients are detained, so these tribunals are of vital significance. Chaired by a judge, they can last up to three hours.

Before each review, and as the responsible clinician, I speak with the patient concerned and advise them what I will say at the tribunal, and why. Being honest is always something I try to adhere to.

I've seen – and supervised – many policy changes and developments in autism care. Most recently, staff and patients at Milton Park hospital, run by Brookdale Care, helped produce the Spectrum Star, the first ever outcomes measurement tool to assess and document the progress of people with autism while in care. The tool also enables us to focus on areas where patients require particular support. The Star is a desperately needed person-centred tool for service users, professionals and commissioners alike.

We're now using the Star with all patients, and it is ingrained into our service provision including the CPA (care programme approach). Each patient has a CPA meeting every six months. Together with clinicians, commissioners, the patient, their family members and patient advocates, there can be up to 20 people in attendance.

Much of my recent time has also been spent doing the clinical groundwork for a new women's-only service at the hospital. Far too many women with autism are being misdiagnosed with conditions such as personality disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia. This leaves them receiving inappropriate care treatment within mental health units or even prison. It is unjust and frustrating.

There are generally no quick fixes in my clinical work. It's often about bringing about step-by-step improvements to enable people with autism to live as independently as possible. Without doubt, my greatest professional satisfaction is meeting patients years later, and seeing how they have progressed.

I'm usually home by 7pm. Two of my young grandchildren live with us, so it's a pretty family-orientated household, especially during the weekends.